I was plunking out melodies on the piano at the age of two years old. My dad was a music teacher and taught voice lessons in our home in the evenings. Several tunes I heard coming from the 'music room' were the ones I was playing on the piano. Is this the kind of thing you're talking about?

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

Not that advanced! So far only signing and almost playing a whole scale on the piano. In fact yesterday I was practising Tcherepnin's Bagatelle op 5/1 (in c minor) only to have her come along and start playing the bottom c. There was no need to worry about the bass line! At times I have to stop my practice, because she demands to practice herself and I need to cede my place, but no melodies so far. There is a lot of singing, however, and there seems to be a great enthusiasm for those Bagatelles.

There you were at two and I started at 18... I did, however, play the alto recorder from the age of 12 or so. I still have it, in matter of fact, a very superior Moeck, which could have followed me on a future career which never materialised.

_________________Richard Willmer"Please do not shoot the pianistHe is doing his best."Oscar Wilde: Impressions of America: Leadville

Well, it's a good sign that she is singing a lot! And good that you let her have her 'time' on the piano. I actually taught my two sons how to play piano when they were young. They don't play now, but I'm hoping that I instilled some love for playing piano and they will come back to it later on. btw - I also have four recorders.

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

I did, however, play the alto recorder from the age of 12 or so. I still have it, in matter of fact, a very superior Moeck, which could have followed me on a future career which never materialised.

I taught recorder for several years and I do think it transfers well to piano... most of my students transitioned nicely to piano after a couple years of recorder (a few of them went to violin, too, and did well).

How interesting that you have a Moeck! I do too - a ebony Rottenburgh with ivory rings from the 80's. Indeed, those are such musical and beautiful instruments.

I hope your little girl is indeed very musical. My singer grandmother said that you can often measure a child's ear and musicality by how much he or she sings and how on-pitch they are. The two best pianists out of my family were the ones that could hit pitches accurately when they were very young. I don't know if that pans out all the time, but the tidbit is interesting...

_________________Though everything else may appear shallow and repulsive, even the smallest task in music is so absorbing, and carries us so far away from town, country, earth, and all worldly things, that it is truly a blessed gift of God.

Oh yes, singing has been going on for almost a year now. I remember, when she still could not even crawl and was still on a pure milk diet, I placed her beside me while I played. Usually she fell asleep (twice listening to Chopin's "Revolutionary" Etude ), but her signing along a Scarlatti Sonata was hard not to miss a note due to laughter.

Mornings she usually demands to listen to a CD. At times I actually have to put one in to keep her happy and she was singing along Tcherepnin's Bagatelles.

Oh, she gets her practice all right: I am the one who has a hard time to play!

The Moeck is the best example that recorders are "not for children". Mine is made of a light-coloured wood, however.

_________________Richard Willmer"Please do not shoot the pianistHe is doing his best."Oscar Wilde: Impressions of America: Leadville

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